


Tack

by 1DE3shipper



Series: 100 Writing Prompts [93]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Emotional Confusion, Theater - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-18
Updated: 2014-05-18
Packaged: 2018-01-25 13:04:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1649639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1DE3shipper/pseuds/1DE3shipper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This wasn't supposed to happen.  He just auditioned to pacify Louis...he wasn't supposed to actually get in.  And he wasn't supposed to feel this was about an incredibly attractive boy who had managed to send Zayn incredibly mixed signals in less than what could be considered a full conversation .</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tack

**Author's Note:**

> this one got away from me a lot... ie it barely even relates to the prompt anymore lol.... I could continue it though

Zayn didn't have a clue why he was even here. Oh wait, he know exactly why: Louis fucking Tomlinson. 

"We should try out for the musical!" He had suggested and Zayn had looked at him like the other boy had sprouted another head before telling him in no uncertain terms how stupid that was. Zayn didn't act. He didn't sing. He didn't dance. He didn't interact with people in general and trying out for the musical would involve doing _all_ of those things. Zayn's personal hell.

Unfortunately for Zayn, though, Louis was stubborn and after less than a week of nagging the dark haired boy found himself sitting in an uncomfortable auditorium seat, much more nervous than he should be considering how little he wanted to be here. Louis was sitting on one side of him, bouncing his leg excitedly and babbling on about how amazing this was and how he was _perfect_ for Peter Pan and Zayn basically tuned him out. The seat on Zayn's other side was empty, thankfully, so he didn't have to make conversation (Louis doesn't count...he's Louis) and occupied himself by reading ahead in his Frankenstein book for English.

Students were called in one at a time to sing their audition pieces and Zayn paid little or no attention to whet was going on until he felt Louis desperately poking his shoulder and pointing at the curly haired boy being called. 

"Oh my god Zayn that's _him_!" Louis gushed. "Harry Styles!"

"Who?"

"Harry Styles," Louis repeated. "The most attractive being ever to grace this dump we call a high school. He has the voice of an angel and he's just perfect." Zayn gave him a look. "And I'm going to get into his pants before the year is over," Louis continued. 

Zayn sighed because that was so _Louis_ and let his eyes wander around the room, which was becoming emptier by the minute as students were being called to give their audition. There was nothing interesting about it whatsoever, in his opinion, and Zayn's only consolation was that he probably wouldn't make it and would never have to deal with this again. Suddenly, his eyes fell on a boy standing awkwardly against the wall, looking around like he didn't know what to do, and when he felt Zayn's eye on him, he started to make his way over. Zayn panicked because, fuck, the boy was _fit_.

"Hey, umm, mind if I sit here?" He motioned to the empty seat next to Zayn.

"Go ahead," Zayn gave every effort to sound indifferent and hoped to god he had succeeded. The last thing he needed was to sound pathetic.

"Thanks," the boy responded. "Liam, by the way."

"I'm Zayn, and this arsehole is Louis," Zayn motioned to his best friend, who was now watching the exchange with close interest, as if picking up on Zayn's unease. Frankly, Zayn wouldn't be surprised if that was the case; if there was one thing the older boy could do it was read Zayn like a book.

"Nice to meet you," Louis extended an arm around Zayn to grasp Liam's hand. "Louis Tomlinson. Future star, so remember that name, kid."

Liam giggled adorably and gave Zayn a wink–a fucking _wink_ – before responding. "I will absolutely keep that in mind." Zayn didn't know what was happening but he wasn't too sure he liked it. He was unable to talk, so paralyzed with Liam's incredibly brown eyes that crinkled around the edges and his lanky muscles and innocent-but-not-too-innocent smile and his perfectly messy head of brown curls and Zayn really was fucked, wasn't he? 

Thankfully, the director chose this time to call him to audition. 

"Good luck!" Louis encouraged him. "Knock 'em dead!" Zayn didn't respond. He just wanted this to be over with.

"Name?" He was asked when he closed the door to the audition booth behind him. 

"Zayn Malik," he answered as calmly as possible.

"And what will you be singing for us?"

"Umm... 'Let Me Love You' by Mario."

"Go on, then."

Zayn took a deep breath before starting the part he had rehearsed.

_you're the type of woman who deserves good things_  
Fist full of diamonds, hand full of rings  
Baby you're a star, I just want to show you you are  
You should let me love you, let me be the one to give you everything you want and need  
Baby good love and protection, make me your selection, show you the way love’s supposed to be  
Baby you should let me love you 

"Thank you," she said simply, and it was over. He returned to his seat, still inexplicably nervous and Louis went in after him.

"How'd it go?" Liam asked.

"Umm..." Zayn had somehow lost the ability to even talk now. Great. "It was...fine," he managed. "I have to go." He grabbed his bag and rushed out of the auditorium, shooting Louis a quick text that he would wait in the car before collapsing against a row of lockers. Fuck would be an understatement.  
-  
"And you just ran out?" Louis asked when they were sitting in Zayn's room later that day.

"I didn't know what else to do!" Zayn said defensively.

"You could, I don't know, talk to him or something?" The suggestion was dripping with sarcasm that Zayn chose to ignore.

"You know I'm shit at talking to people, Lou," Zayn mumbled ashamedly. Zayn's inability to carry a conversation without panicking was the main reason why Louis was his only friend and had been since they were six. Zayn was grateful to have at least that, even if he wanted to smack the other boy more often than not.

"I could help you," Louis offered. "Y'know, talk to him? I mean, you seemed pretty whipped." Zayn groaned. He hadn't been that obvious, had he? He hoped not; he'd never be able to face Liam again if that was the case. Not that that seemed like such a terrible alternative at the moment.

"I can't, Lou," Zayn lamented. "I mean, did you even see him? He's fucking fit and I'm just boring and he probably doesn't even want to talk to me and..."

"Zayn." Louis brought him back to the present. "I'm pretty sure he was into you too. And my gay-dar's never wrong." Zayn half smiled and shrugged. "Please? Let me play matchmaker," the older boy begged.

"Not a chance," Zayn decided. "If I'm ever gonna talk to him again the last thing I want is you meddling. No offence, mate."

"I'm offended," Louis huffed but Zayn knew he was just being dramatic. 

"Then you can get out of my house."

"Never mind."

Zayn smiled. He was best friends with Louis for a reason.  
-  
The cast list was posted that Friday and Louis was practically bursting by the time the last bell rang. They met at Zayn's locker like always before making their way through the hordes of people cluttering the halls to the outside of the auditorium. It was to be a fairly small production, the cast only twenty or so students, and the entire list fit on one sheet of computer paper tacked to the bulletin board.

"Oh god there it is," Louis squealed. "I don't know if I want to look." Zayn rolled his eyes and pushed his way to the front, ready to put this whole thing behind him because there was absolutely no way he'd been cast. Louis was the first name on the list, Peter Pan of course. 

"Hey congrats, man," Zayn wrapped an arm around his best friend's shoulder. Louis looked like he might faint with happiness and Zayn read further down the list. Harry Styles had been cast as Wendy's brother Michael and Liam Payne (as in Zayn's Liam?) was to be John. Zayn held his breath as he got further down the page and didn't see his name. He was almost relieved until he got to the last line of the page. That’s when his heart stopped.

_Zayn Malik-lost boy_

"Hey Zayn, congrats man!" A voice that could only belong to Liam congratulated him. "Looks like we'll be spending loads of time together this year." Suddenly, the small crowd gathered around the cast list felt suffocating and Zayn felt incredibly nauseous. This wasn't supposed to happen. He just auditioned to pacify Louis...he wasn't supposed to actually get in. And he wasn't supposed to feel this was about an incredibly attractive boy who had managed to send Zayn incredibly mixed signals in less than what could be considered a full conversation . The nausea was only getting worse and Zayn had to sprint down the hall to the bathroom to be sick.

**Author's Note:**

> let me know what you think!


End file.
